1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of medical electronics and particularly to an insulated electrode adapted to be coupled to a heart pulse generator in a manner to prevent extraneous signals from being applied through the insulated connector to the patient's heart.
2. State of the Prior Art
Electric stimulation of body tissue and organs is a method of treating various pathological conditions which is becoming quite commonplace. Such stimulation generally calls for making some type of electrical contact with the body tissue or organ. In particular, with respect to the heart, electrical leads are physically coupled or implanted into the myocardial or endocardial tissues.
In order to attach the connectors or electrodes of the heart pulse generator to the heart, it is necessary to make an incision in the neck whereby the leads of an external or implanted pulse generator may be passed through the patient's subclavian vein into the patient's heart. The external pulse generator is for temporary use only and is attached external to the patient's body. The implanted pulse generator and its related lead are fully implanted on a permanent basis within the patient's body. Typically, during such a surgical procedure, the proximal connector, adapted to be electrically attached to the heart pulse generator, remains outside the patient's body, whereby it may inadvertently be exposed to micro-shock energies by contact with one of the participants in the surgical procedure or with some piece of electrically active surgical equipment. In such case, a relatively small energy level in the order of micro-watts would be applied directly to the patient's heart with the possibility that the patient's heart would be driven into fibrillation. If the proximal connector of the pacemaker lead is not effectively isolated from its environment, the possible resultant microshock may be fatal to the patient.
Male-type connectors have typically been used as the proximal connectors for a heart pacemaker system and are particularly adapted for insertion into a female receptacle of the heart pulse generator. However, the shock hazards associated with such male-type connectors has only been recognized in recent years. Presently, the procedures for eliminating such hazards are of a field expedient variety dependent upon the awareness and skill of the attendant surgeon. For example, the proximal pin connectors are placed in a rubber surgical glove during the surgical procedure and before insertion into the heart pulse generator.